2016 Indianapolis 500 Trivia Contest

It’s that time again! It’s time for the eighth annual Oilpressure.com Indianapolis 500 Trivia Contest. While some have said that last year’s was too hard, many people missed only two of the thirty-three questions. Of course, last year’s winner, our good friend Paul Dalbey formerly of More Front Wing, turned in a perfect answer sheet just under the deadline. So it can be done.

But with this being a milestone year for the Indianapolis 500, I wanted to step it up and consequently make everyone bring their best game. The answers are there for each one, but you’ve got to do a little research. That’s why I give you two full weeks to complete it.

Doing the research is half the fun. Many times, I’ve had people submit their answers that may not come close to winning, but they tell me how much fun they had looking it up and learning something new about the “500”.

What’s at stake? How about a brand new Oilpressure.com polo shirt? 100% pique cotton, of course. No dri-fit allowed here.

The rules are simple. You have two weeks to answer the questions. Please submit your answers by Tuesday May 24th by 5:00 CDT (central daylight time) to geophillips14@gmail.com. Please number your answers. Any submission without corresponding numbers beside the answer will not be counted. I will not have the time nor the patience to go back and match each one up, so number your answers.

I will post the correct answers here on Wednesday May 25th along with the announced winner. I have provided a tie-breaker. If there is still a tie, the tie-breaker will be decided by a flip of the coin. You’ll just have to trust me. Good luck!

George Phillips

1. When was the last time a driver that had previously won a USAC sprint car race, won the pole for the Indianapolis 500?

2. What driver went the longest between Indianapolis 500 wins? Name the driver and the years between the wins.

3. Who was the first person to sing (Back Home Again in) Indiana at the Indianapolis 500? What was the year?

4. Who is the only driver to spend his entire Indianapolis 500 career driving a Novi?

5. Who is the only driver to finish 42nd in the Indianapolis 500?

6. The 1949 winner, Bill Holland, was suspended for two full seasons by AAA for running a non-sanctioned match race in Miami. Who was the other driver in that match race?

7. Name three of the four drivers that shared an apartment over what is now Dawson’s on Main?

8. Who is the only driver to drive relief in an Indianapolis 500 winning car, yet was never a starter in the Indianapolis 500?

9. Who was the first former winner to be banned from running at The Speedway?

10. Since he arrived at Indianapolis, only twenty-four drivers have driven for Roger Penske in the Indianapolis 500. All but five have led at least one lap in the “500” while driving for him. Name those five.

11. Mark Jaynes will call his first Indianapolis 500 as the lead anchor this month. Prior to Jaynes, who had the shortest tenure as the “Voice of the 500” on the IMS Radio Network?

12. What driver lost his life, just sixteen days after winning the Indianpolis 500?

13. This year marks the fiftieth year for Team Penske. What was the first year that Team Penske ran in the Indianapolis 500?

14. What company was the original sponsor of the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Award? What was the year?

15. Before the formation of the IMS Radio Network, which network was the last to cover the Indianapolis 500 on radio? Who was their lead announcer?

16. When practice began for the 1965 Indianapolis 500, what two chassis makers did AJ Foyt have to choose from in his stable?

17. The 1966 “Super Team” consisted of three drivers. Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart and who else?

18. In 1978, Rick Mears qualified on the front row as a rookie. Who was the last rookie driver to qualify on the front row before Mears and in what year?

19. What was the last year that fewer than thirty-three drivers qualified for the Indianapolis 500? How many cars started that race?

20. What was the first year that Firestone was not on the winning car of the Indianapolis 500? What brand was it?

21. It is well documented that no driver named Smith has ever qualified for the Indianapolis 500. What was the last year a driver named Smith attempted to qualify? What was his name?

22. What was the last year that the first alternate starter actually started the race? Who was the first alternate starter and who did he replace in the field?

23. In what year did Lloyd Ruby carve his way through the field from the twenty-fifth starting position to lead the race, before blowing his engine? Who was his car owner? What type chassis did he drive?

24. Grant King was known for copying popular chassis and calling them the Kingfish chassis. By what name did his chassis go by after ditching the name Kingfish?

25. In recent years, it has been a struggle to get to thirty-three cars to even qualify for the Indianapolis 500. What was the last year that there were more drivers that failed to qualify than actually made the thirty-three car field?

26. Not counting the current aero kits, when was the last time the Indianapolis 500 featured more than one chassis in the starting field?

27. Bob Jenkins first called the Indianapolis 500 for television in what year?

28. What rookie won the race, yet was not named Rookie of the Year?

29. There have been five tire companies to win the Indianapolis 500. Name them.

30. In what year was the starter’s flag stand moved across the track, to the outside and above the track? Who was the new Chief Steward that made that move?

31. What driver announced his retirement in Victory Lane?

32. Wilbur Shaw drove the Boyle Maserati to victory in 1939 and 1940. What was his car owner’s nickname?

33. What race car driver is named after driver Leon Duray?

Tie Breaker: In the film To Please A Lady, what former driver had a cameo appearance playing a member of the Safety Patrol at the Infield Care Center?